So Fluffy
by muffin-dragon227
Summary: A collection of drabbles for the Gruvia Fluff Fest. Day 4: Hot Chocolate - "A medium hot chocolate with whipped cream. Right?" Well that was disappointing. Not just because it totally didn't live up to her fantasy, but also because that wasn't even her usual order.
1. Much ado about pancakes

A/N: Okay so this is entry number one for the Gruvia Fluff Fest, based (loosely) on the cook prompt. I'm actually super nervous because I haven't written a story in about seven years so please be nice?

Anyways this is dedicated to RandomTeenager a.k.a. Funkytown on Tumblr. She unintentionally inspired this mess by reminding me of a head cannon I had.

Please note this story takes place about six months after the Tartaros arc and while I've tried to be vague there are hints at spoilers so you've been warned.

Title: Much ado about pancakes

Rating: K+ (I think)

Description: Who would have thought that snowflake shaped, mint flavored pancakes could cause so much drama?

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, or any of the characters in this story. I will not be making any money from this story.

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><p>Gray Fullbuster was the kind of person who very rarely got sick, but when he did it was bad. Not just in terms of severity, but also in terms of moodiness. He was never the most friendly of people, but once sickness took hold he quickly became petulant, and demanding towards those around him. Yes, when Gray got sick he reverted back to the behaviour of a five year old child.<p>

So it came as quite a surprise when, after getting off the train coughing and sniffling, Erza had told him to head home and that she would stop by later with some things to help him feel better. A small voice in the back of Gray's head told him that he should be worried, but he brushed it aside, too tired and sore to care. Instead he thanked her half-heartedly and headed home to sleep, fully expecting the requip mage to forget her offer of help.

Of course he quickly figured out what she was up to when, two hours later, he groggily opened the door to find Erza standing on his doorstep, arms loaded with groceries, and the guild's resident water mage standing timidly behind her. The scarlet haired woman simply shoved past Gray and marched into the kitchen to deposit her bags on the counter. Juvia, on the other hand, remained firmly planted in the doorway. Her eyes darted up to meet his gaze before fixing themselves back on the ground, while her fingers fiddled with the hem of the summer dress she was wearing. Gray simply studied her in return, not trusting himself to say anything. He'd need to have a very long talk with Erza once the girl was out of earshot.

"Aren't you going to let her in Gray?" Erza's voice called from behind him. He could hear the underlying edge to her voice and, despite his irritation at her meddling, Gray knew better than to piss her off. Instead he stepped aside allowing the bluenette to slink past him, quietly removing her shoes, before moving into the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight Gray shot Erza the meanest glare he could muster.

"I thought you said you were bringing _things_ to help?" He hissed. Erza merely met his glare with a frown of her own then shrugged.

"She spent the last week nursing the girls at Fairy Hills back to health. Chances are you caught this from one of us so I figured it would only be polite to offer you some help. She volunteered." Erza explained.

"Yeah, probably because she didn't know what she was signing up for. I think it was you who called me '_the most ungrateful, intolerant, demanding prick I've ever met_' the last time I was sick. Some how I doubt you warned her." Gray countered, attempting to mimic the woman before him as he quoted her previous complaint.

"Oh please. If anyone can handle you when you're sick, it's Juvia. She's been dealing with your mood swings for a while now and has managed just fine." She dismissed him with a huff. "Besides, after everything she's been through I think it would help if she felt like she could be of use to you."

Guilt bubbled in the pit of Gray's stomach. It was a bit of a low blow for Erza to bring that up, but when he peered into the kitchen and saw the water mage diligently preparing food, a part of him couldn't help but agree. The bluenette seemed at peace, a small smile playing on her lips and a faint blush covered her cheeks. He turned back to his dearest friend with a sigh of defeat. She smiled knowingly.

"Tch. Fine."

The redhead immediately swung around and sauntered into the kitchen with Gray in tow.

"Well he's all yours Juvia. Be sure to let me know if you need us to pick up any more supplies. I'm sure you'll be too busy trying to look after his needs to have time to run to the store." The grin that formed at Juvia's reaction told Gray that those words had been chosen deliberately. The bluenette just gaped at the older woman, her whole face stained crimson. Gray could feel his own cheeks flush as well and prayed the younger woman would dismiss it as a fever.

Having thoroughly embarrassed the two of them, Erza said her goodbyes and quickly exited the small house.

It took a few moments for the water mage to recover. Finally she glanced over at Gray, only to panic at the sight of him. Instantly the back of her hand met his forehead, pausing momentarily before her palm cupped his still reddening cheeks.

"Gray-sama is burning up! He shouldn't be out of bed like this!" She chastised. The ice mage breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the girl proceeded to drag him in the direction of the bedroom. Sometimes he was grateful for small miracles.

Said gratitude was short lived, as they crossed the threshold into his bedroom, where Juvia froze almost instantly. Whether from the sudden realization that she was in _his_ bedroom or from shock at the piles of clothes littering the floor he couldn't say. Gray had the decency to feel at least a little embarrassed at the mess. Slipping past the girl, he immediately started to collect the discarded laundry.

"Gray-sama stop, you need rest! Juvia can clean this up!" She pleaded frantically, grabbing onto his arm. Gray simply tore himself from her grip, and continued to clean.

"Gray-sama." It was a tone Gray had only heard directed at him once before; not angry, just firm, but it was enough to stop him in his tracks. It was weird how she could do that, but Juvia so rarely expressed disapproval towards him that he couldn't help but listen when she did.

"Please let Juvia help Gray-sama." She murmured, and any remaining stubbornness melted away. He dropped the clothes with a huff and proceeded to crawl into bed. Once he seemed settled she nodded and exited the room, returning a moment later with a small bowl of water and a cloth.

Perching on the side of his bed she leaned over and draped the wet fabric across his forehead before returning to the task he had started. She worked quietly, no fangirling or silly outbursts, and Gray's heart stung a little at the loss. He wasn't about to admit it, but he missed the way things were. Six months later and she still wasn't back to being _his_ Juvia, not entirely. It scared him to think she may never truly return to the girl she once had been.

"Gray-sama should get some rest. Juvia will make some soup." She announced from the door, an overflowing basket of laundry tucked under her arm. Gray simply nodded, still caught up in his thoughts.

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><p>As it turns out, Erza was right. If there was one person who could tolerate Gray while he was sick it was Juvia. She made him soup, cleaned his house, and catered to his every demand. If she was ever offended by his mood, she never showed it, and she never once asked for thanks. That's right, not once in forty-eight hours had she complained.<p>

But that wasn't the only thing Erza had been right about. The water mage had slowly started to come back out of her shell as well. She had fawned over him ridiculously at the height of his illness and had continued to do so even after the fever had broken. And for once Gray wasn't annoyed by it. In fact, he'd been indulging her almost as much as she indulged him.

Which would be why he'd agreed to her making them breakfast, even though he was feeling better and could surely manage to look after himself at this point.

However he immediately regretted this particular indulgence the second she placed the plate of pancakes in front of him. A lump instantly formed in the back of his throat as he stared down at them, shaped intricately into snowflakes, the smell of mint drifting up from the pile.

For a moment Juvia wasn't Juvia, but sweet white haired woman. The house was large, the table bigger, and a dark haired man sat across from him, smiling at Gray. _Eat up sweetie. I made your favorite. _His mother's voice echoed in his head, even as he came back to reality.

"Does Gray-sama not want pancakes? Juvia can make something else!" She insisted. The girl had always been good at reading him, but he was sure that his discomfort was written all over his face. Not waiting for a response she reached down and plucked the plate off the table, fully prepared to make him another meal.

"No!" He cried out, his hand was clutching her wrist before he could even register his own thoughts. _Breathe. _The thought resonated in his head and Gray inhaled deeply before letting out a shaky breath. To her credit Juvia didn't move, nor did she react to his sudden outburst.

"No." he repeated, softer this time. He still clung to her wrist as he tried to find the words to explain himself. "I-It's not that... I…."

Gray drew another breath and forced himself to look at the woman before him. His eyes met hers and he could see the concern written across her face. Still, she stood patiently, waiting for him to collect himself. The thought that she was too patient with him sprang to mind, but he quickly discarded it. It was true, but that didn't mean he couldn't do something about it.

"Sorry. I don't want something else, it just brought back memories… of my mom. She use to make me pancakes just like that. Well, actually hers weren't as detailed, but they were still snowflakes. You even added the mint flavoring…." His words were soft, but he could feel her arm tensing in response.

"Juvia's so sorry, she didn't know…." She whispered, averting her eyes from his. Gray frowned and cut off any further apology.

"Don't be." His words were gentle but firm, and were offered with a small smile. "It's a good memory. Of both of them actually."

The plate clattered back on to the table, and instantly her wrist was free from his grasp, a thin layer of water lined his palm in it's place. It was like he had just burned her, and she stood a few steps away now, arms wrapped protectively around her waist.

"Juvia is sorry, she should really be going." She had turned and was headed towards the door as Gray's mind scrambled to figure out what had set her off. Gone was the adoring woman, and back in her place was that same timid girl, all in the blink of an eye. Gray was terrified, and the only thing he could think about was that if she walked out the door right now he may never get _her_ back.

"STOP!" He demanded. And she did, following his command by instinct. Her internal conflict was written on her face, fighting a battle of obey or flee. Thankfully he only needed that moment's hesitation to figure out where the conversation had gone wrong.

"Juvia…." He called to her softly. Slowly he began inching towards her, closing the gap between them. To his relief she let him. He wrapped his arms around her tenderly, trying to convey his gratitude.

"Hey, it's okay. It's a good thing, really." He murmured into her hair. She was shaking slightly and he began to stroke the soft blue locks to soothe her. "I've spent so many years focusing on all the bad memories, it's nice to finally be able to remember the good ones. It just caught me off guard, that's all... You're always catching me off guard."

Gray was glad his face was buried in her hair because he was certain he was blushing by the last sentence. He felt her shift, before feeling her arms snake around his waist and the ice mage fought the need to withdraw from her. It was still unnatural to him; holding someone like this. Specifically Juvia, but he knew she needed it. Instead he continued to stroke her hair, for once offering her the same patience she always offered him.

"Gray-sama's mother really use to make Gray-sama mint pancakes?" She asked after a few moments, finally removing herself from his arms so that she could meet his gaze. She still seemed a bit nervous, and Gray felt his own heart flutter anxiously at the question. He never really talked about his parents to anyone.

"Mhmm. My dad insisted on them, he said it was like eating a winter wonderland. She was the one who decided to shape them like snowflakes though. She was always doing creative things like that, anything to make me and my dad smile." Gray watched as the water mage flinched at the mentions of his father, but continued to recount the memories of his parents with a smile on his face. It was a risk; bringing his father up. Gray had to wonder if Juvia would ever truly forgive herself for what happened, but even if she couldn't he wanted her to move forward. He wanted her to see that he was okay.

"Gray-sama's mother sounds wonderful. She must have loved Gray-sama very much." Juvia declared, a soft smile playing on her lips, and relief washed over the ice mage. He was glad he hadn't set her off again, glad that she was fighting to stay by his side, despite the pain and uncertainty she felt.

"Yeah well... you're a lot like her, you know. It's a bit weird, but it's also kinda nice. It helps me remember what she was like." Gray confessed, feeling the heat creep up his neck and spread across his cheeks. He couldn't even look at her once the words were out, but he could feel those deep blue orbs riveted on him. Then suddenly he realised what he might just have implied.

"Not that I think of you as my mother!" He blurted out hastily. Their eyes met and Juvia blinked at him in shock. Her hand flew up to her mouth as a small giggle escaped her lips, and a moment later Gray was laughing with her. And for the first time in six months Gray knew that she was going to be okay. It would take time, and he'd need to make the effort, but they would move past this.


	2. Muse Me

**Author's Note**

Day 2: Artist

Okay so I had a ton of idea's for this prompt but I really couldn't get any of them to go anywhere. Then this came to me at 10pm last night…. So yeah, enjoy the ramblings of my sleep deprived mind. It's an Academy AU, so like high school but most of the student there are in specialty programs that they had to apply for. The school is called the Magnolia Academy of Arts and Athletics or MAAA as it's referred to.

Title: Muse me  
>Rating: T<br>Description: She consumed his thoughts, his dreams, and his sketchbook.  
>Disclaimer: I don't own fairy tail or it's characters.<p>

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><p>Splish, Splish, Splish.<p>

Scratch, Scratch, Scratch.

His pencil moved in time with her strokes, guided by the even rhythm of her arms slicing through the water.

Swoosh.

He looked up to watch her complete her flip turn. In those brief moments before she broke the surface she was ethereal. A goddess or sprite, living among mortals.

Splish, Splish, Splish.

As she returned to her strokes he focused once again on his sketchbook. The page was covered with images of her, as were the ones before it. For the last week he'd been possessed. His mind conjured images of her, and his hand recreating her form unbidden. She consumed his thoughts, his dreams, and his sketchbook. Yep, Gray Fullbuster, the school's resident heartbreaker, was smitten with a swimmer.

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><p>Gray had often sought refuge in the upper seating of the school's swimming pool. It was one of the few places he could sneak away to when he wanted to be alone. Up until a week ago, that is, when suddenly this blue haired vixen had come strutting in.<p>

At first he'd been annoyed, believing that she was one of the member's of his fan club. The pool was one of his favorite hiding spots and if this girl had found him surely the others weren't far behind.

Much to his relief the girl simply rushed forward and launched herself into the water with a flawless dive. She didn't even seem to notice him tucked away up in the stands, and spent the next few hours doing laps in the pool instead, and Gray had sat watching her. At first it was just curiosity. Who was she? He was pretty sure he hadn't seen her before. But slowly his inner artist took over and he found himself absentmindedly drawing her. Something about the way she swam just resonated with him.

He'd taken off before she stopped though, still a little wary of giving himself away, but the image of her submersed within the water had enchanted him and he just had to see her again. So the next day, once classes were out, the black haired boy had rushed to the pool, settling into the same corner, sketchbook in hand. She arrived not ten minutes later, emerging from the dressing rooms in her single piece bathing suit, ocean blue hair pulled back into a ponytail. Again she flew into the water without a second thought to the world around her.

Of course it hadn't taken Gray long to figure out who she was. The mysterious girl was actually a mid-year transfer student, and she and her best friend were the current hot topic to gossip about. Rumors were flying everywhere about her and the black-haired, piercing studded, punk; both of whom were accepted on a full scholarship.

Most of the rumors seemed to be falsified; like the one about the two of them being ex-gang members who'd threatened the principle into giving them said scholarships, but a couple were true; she really did beat Erza and Lucy last year at the state swim meet and had gone on to win third at nationals.

Actually it seemed like there was very little people knew about her. From the few rumors Gray could verify he knew her name was Juvia. He knew that she, and her friend Gajeel, had transferred here from a school in a pretty nasty part of town and that she'd been given a full scholarship but didn't live in residence. Finally he knew that she was attending M.A.A.A. for swimming and dance; which, according to Lisanna, was where her true talents lay. Gray wasn't sure if he'd agree with the last bit, but he'd never seen the girl dance so he'd just have to take Lisanna's word for it. Though maybe he should avoid watching her dance, if she really was better at it than swimming Gray was pretty sure he'd spend the rest of his life drawing nothing but her!

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><p>Gray quickly pulled out his phone to check the time. 6:15pm shone back at him from his home screen.<p>

_Shit! _

He never stayed this late, he'd been so caught up in thinking of how he'd met her, and everything else about her that he'd lost track of time. He shoved his sketchbook into his bag and darted towards the exit a few flights of benches lower. Just as he was about to slip through the open doors a voice cut through the silence.

"Wait!"

Splash!

He turned to see her climbing from the pool. Water droplets slithered down her skin, tracing delicate curves and lean muscles. The sight of her like that had him frozen in place, memorizing the details he knew he'd repeatedly try and render later. He continued to stare as she stood up and made her way towards him, stopping at the first row of benches.

"Why do you keep coming here to watch Juvia?" Her voice was soft and hesitant, but he had no trouble hearing her. His cheeks blazed with heat at the implications of her question.

"I've been coming here long before you decided to start showing up. This happened to be one of the few places I could go to be alone." He retorted in a tone that was harsh to even his own ears.

_Good job Gray! Way to be an ass!_ Gray sighed and braced himself, waiting for inevitable bitch fest he always seemed to provoke from members of the opposite gender.

"Oh! Juvia's sorry, she-she shouldn't have assumed…. I'm sorry for bothering you." She replied, looking at him like a puppy who'd just been kicked.

_Seriously? What. The. Fuck._

"Oi! I was just a dick, why are you apologizing?" He shouted. Yeah, maybe he should work on thinking before speaking.

"Juvia's apologizing because Gray-sama wanted to be left alone, and was going to leave, but Juvia just had to bother him with her questions and now Gray-sama is annoyed with her and probably won't want to come back to the pool." She explained in a rush of words, clearly anxious about having offended him.

"Nah, look it's cool, you don't really bother me when you're swimming... hey wait! How do you know my name?" Suddenly Gray's back was up again, and he fixed her with a pointed stare.

"Juvia has English with Gray-sama in third period." She squeaked out, and his frown deepened.

_Wait. What? Since when? How could he possibly fail to notice she was in one of his classes!_

"Juvia sits a couple rows behind Gray-sama... and Juvia probably wouldn't have noticed Gray-sama was here, but a couple days ago Gray-sama left his sketchbook open on his desk... and Juvia accidentally saw one of the sketches…." Her words hung between them. Judging by the heavy blush coating her cheeks he knew the sketch she'd seen was of her.

_Shit! Crap! Fuck! She didn't just __**assume**_ _you were watching her; she knew! Okay, stay calm and don't panic…. You just need to think of a reasonable explanation as to why you were drawing her. Not too hard; unless she's blushing because she saw one of __**those**_ _sketches! Oh god…._

"It was a really beautiful drawing. Juvia didn't think she looked like that while swimming, and she really just wanted to tell you that. Juvia's sorry she made you feel uncomfortable. She's not really good at these sorts of things…." Her soft voice pulled him from his panicked thoughts and he breathed a sigh of relief that it had just been a normal sketch. He studied the girl below him, still dripping, with crimson cheeks and self conscious stance. She was different out of the water, meek and shy, instead of passionate and fierce. It was easy to see now how he'd missed her in English class. She was the kind of girl who just didn't want to be found.

"S'ok. In case you hadn't noticed I'm not particularly good at this either." He confessed with a shrug, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Thanks for compliment though, I'm always a little nervous about other people seeing my art."

"You shouldn't be! Gray-sama is really quite talented. Juvia would actually really like to see more of his work…. That is if he's okay with it?" The bluenette requested apprehensively.

"Uh, sure… but only if you agree to let me continue to sketch you, and not just in the water." Gray could feel his cheeks burning as he made his counter offer. His heart was racing, hoping she'd agree, because even if she didn't he didn't think if he could stop.

"But why? Juvia is just Juvia, surely Gray-sama could find a much prettier model." Her brow was furrowed in confusion and she was eyeing him suspiciously, like his request might just be some sort of joke or prank. It both hurt and frustrated him all at once. No one that gorgeous should feel this insecure.

"It's like you said, you never realized how you looked while swimming. Maybe you just need to see yourself through someone elses eyes. You're interesting, attractive, and passionate. Besides most girls seem to hate me once I start talking. I kinda like not getting slapped or cried on every time I say something." It was a genuine smile that he offered her then, and she returned it with a brilliant grin.

"Well, if it will protect Gray-sama from getting slapped, then Juvia agrees!" She said with a giggle, and Gray knew he was a goner. Yep, he was gonna fall for her hard. But seeing her smiling up at him like that, the sound of her laughter, and that killer body, he really couldn't bring himself to be upset about it.


	3. Let it Snow

**Author's Note**

Day 3: Snow

Okay so this was the one that started it all. I saw this prompt and all I could think of is what if Juvia had never experienced any weather other than the rain? What if she'd never seen snow? This is set between the Edolas are and before Tenrou.

I'd also like to dedicate this to Fauxtr0t a.k.a shingekinodenim because she's a giant sweet heart who lets me spam her with ideas and headcanons. And because she's been having a bit of a rough month.

Title: Let it snow  
>Rating: K+<br>Description: "You act like you've never seen snow before." "But Gray-sama, that's because Juvia hasn't seen snow before…."  
>Disclaimer: I don't own fairy tail or it's characters.<p>

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><p>Gray couldn't fathom what exactly held his partner's fascination. Sure he was used to Juvia's head being in the clouds, but she never actually fixated on them before. Since they'd gotten off the train in the northern town of Spruce Valley the girl had been mesmerized by the sky. It was definitely new for her, usually she was so busy clinging to him that it seemed like she couldn't possibly notice anything else. Now it seemed like no matter how hard the girl tried she couldn't keep her eyes on him. And if Gray was honest with himself, it annoyed him.<p>

Mostly because he had no idea what the big deal was. I mean sure, the town looked pretty with the thick flakes of snow slowly descending on them in an intricate dance, and with the soft blankets of white that coated the tops of every surface in sight. Gray himself found the winter wonderland nostalgic and heart warming, but he was an ice mage and snow was his element, so it was normal for him to be a bit enchanted. But he couldn't come close to matching the look of childlike wonder the girl had been wearing for the last two hours.

Even while they were talking to their client she'd been distracted. Several times he caught her staring out the window in a daze as the client explained the details of their escort mission. He would be astounded if she even knew what time they were supposed to leave tomorrow morning.

Currently they were wandering the streets, headed towards the hotel the client had recommended for the night. When Gray had to grab her for the fourth time, to stop her from walking straight into someone, he decided he'd had enough and spun her around to face him, fixing her with a glare.

"Oi! What's with you? I swear you're even more distracted than usual. This is the fourth time you almost bowled someone over." The girl blinked for a moment, clearly trying to process his complaint.

"Juvia's sorry Gray-sama, she can't help it. It's just so pretty here." The girl at least had the decency to blush, but she seemed more embarrassed than remorseful.

"Seriously? I mean, I agree that it's pretty, but it's just snow. You act like you've never seen it before!" Gray huffed, carding his fingers through his hair in frustration. He was pretty sure he was never going to understand this girl. Who got this worked up over the weather?

"But Gray-sama, Juvia hasn't seen it before…." There was just a hint of sorrow in that statement, but it made Gray's entire body tense. He sighed and forced himself to meet her gaze, which had changed from gleeful, to something indiscernible.

"How is that even possible? Oak town is further north than Magnolia, surely they must get snow during the winter months." Really she couldn't actually expect him to believe she'd never seen snow. After all the girl had previously brought rain with her everywhere, one trip north or into the mountains would have changed it to snow in a second. Not that Gray was about to bring that up. If there was one thing Gray did understand about the water mage, it was that the rain was one heck of a touchy subject.

But, of course, Juvia seemed to read his mind anyways.

"Gray-sama, Juvia's rain wasn't natural, it was magical. It wouldn't freeze. Juvia actually tried a few times once she joined Phantom lord. She spent an entire month in the north at one point. But Juvia's rain never changed… and it caused the snow on the ground to melt, making it ugly and slushy. So no, Juvia's never seen the snow like this." The girl was now completely forlorn looking, and the ice mage suddenly felt like the biggest jerk in the world.

Not two minutes ago she'd been glowing with happiness, and he just had to open his mouth. Well, there was only one way to fix it. Before he could over think it too much Gray grabbed the girl by the arm, tugging her down the street after him.

"We have a few hours before it gets dark, so come on. There's a park a few minutes away, and if you've never seen snow, then you've never played in it. So we'll just have to fix that." The ice mage had to turn to look back at her as the water mage halted at his suggestion. She was looking at him wide-eyed, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. Gray released his grip, feeling his own cheeks heat up as well.

"You do want to play in the snow right?" He queried, eyebrow raised to punctuate the fact that he thought she was being odd again. Her cheeks darkened under his gaze.

"Really? Gray-sama wants to play with Juvia in the snow?" She asked. Her brows were knitted lightly and her voice was laced with hesitation. It was almost as if she thought she misheard, and really he supposed that was the case more often than not.

He shrugged. "Of course. Everybody needs to play in the snow at least once in their life."

And there it was, just like that. The stupid overjoyed grin was plastered back onto her face and Gray just had to smile back. Of course said smile faltered a moment later as the bluenette launched herself at him, trapping his arm in her death grip.

"Oh thank you Gray-sama! Let's go, Juvia can't wait to play in the snow!" The girl chirped. Gray just sighed as they resumed walking, this time with her clinging to him. Really she was a sweet kid, but sometimes he just couldn't keep up with her.

* * *

><p>At some point on their walk to the park Gray had managed to extract himself from Juvia's grasp. Of course he also managed to lose his jacket, but that was nothing new. The bluenette had retrieved it though, and Gray had to admit it was one of the many reasons he liked going on missions with her.<p>

Currently the two were wandering along one of the paths in the park, Juvia trailing just slightly behind him.

"So what do you want to do first?" He figured he ought to ask, who knows if there was something she's been waiting her whole life to do. His heart ached slightly at the thought, because really, there was probably a pretty long list of things she's been waiting to do. Gray quickly resolved to maybe ask her about it once their mission was over.

"Well Juvia isn't sure where to start. If she's honest, she doesn't actually know much about playing in the snow. But there was this one thing, that Gajeel-kun had told her about back in Phantom Lord, that sounded really fun…." Gray noticed her voice had lowered slightly and turned to face his companion.

"Yeah, what was tha…." A large fluffy ball of snow exploded in Grays face and he stood there in shock for a moment. Suddenly peels of laughter erupted a few feet away. Gray quickly wiped the snow from his face and glared at the water mage, who was trying to stifle herself with her hand.

"Gajeel-kun was… hehe… right. Oh, Gray-sama… the look… on your face. Hahaha." Yeah, she was failing miserably. Gray growled and bent down suddenly. In a swift, fluid motion he gathered the snow, packing it in the blink of an eye, before launching it back at the girl; only to have the snowball fly right through her. Her laughter died instantly. The hole in her chest reformed quickly and she met his stunned look with a sly grin. Right, water body. Yeah, that wasn't even remotely fair.

"Oi! That's cheating!" He hollered at her. The girl just quirked an eyebrow at him. Then, suddenly swung her arm from behind her, launching another snowball in his direction. This time Gray was prepared though and quickly formed a shield to block the attack. As soon as the snowball struck the shield dropped again and Gray was countering. Only this time, instead of flying through her, the snowball melted inches from her shoulder spraying her with water instead. Gray frowned before noticing the steam rising from her body. He huffed in frustration before recalling that he and Lyon had created special rules once their magic had advanced.

"Okay, new rule! No magic. Otherwise we'll never be able to hit each other." He called out to her. His frustration was evident in his tone.

"Juvia's certain she could hit Gray-sama again, even with his magic. But if Gray-sama insists Juvia will play by Gray-sama's rules." She announced arrogantly. There was a fierceness in her eyes, and her grin was shark-like. It sent a shiver of excitement running down the boy's spine and he grinned back, confident that now he had the upper hand.

Again, with speed born from years of experience, Gray dipped down to form another snowball and attack, only to find the water mage had lunged to the side, rolling behind a bench for cover. She popped up, flinging another snowball in his direction. Gray dodged expertly, turning it into an attack. It looked like he had missed but the small dusting of white on the shoulder of her coat indicated that he had indeed clipped her. He let out a small victory whoop, only for her to clip his hip in return.

And back and forth it went. Adrenaline rushing, hearts pumping frantically as the two mages dashed and darted between trees and other obstacles. Small flashes of white whipping back and forth in a blur. Laughter, shouts, and insults flying with them.

Gray had to admit she was incredible, her aim was spot on and she was surprisingly agile for a mage that didn't engage in hand-to-hand combat. But Gray was better, experience making him faster at packing the snow, specifically while on the move. So after a particularly hard hit to the side of the face, the girl held up her hands in surrender, before collapsing into the snow on her back. Her coat was covered in snow and her hat had been lost some time ago. Small clumps of snow were tangled in her gravity defying curls and her cheeks were flushed with exertion. Or perhaps a bit of embarrassment, because Gray was down to his boxers, his own clothes discarded long before her hat was lost. Still she was smiling up at him and, for once didn't seem lost in a fantasy, so Gray decided to flop down next to her and worry about his clothes later.

"You sure this was your first time in a snowball fight? Because you've got quite a bit of talent. I'm actually quite impressed you can throw and dodge like that!" Gray praised, giving voice to his earlier thoughts.

"Juvia owes her experience to Gajeel-kun actually." She giggled, turning her head to face the gorgeous man beside her. Gray merely raised a brow in question, prompting her to continue.

"Gajeel-kun and Juvia always liked pairing up to take out dark guilds, but Gajeel-kun worried about Juvia because dark guilds had access to illegal items like magic nullifying handcuffs. He wanted to make sure Juvia could protect herself even without her magic, so we'd often spend our time training together. First one to use their magic loses. It took Juvia two years before she could beat Gajeel-kun, but after that we've been pretty evenly matched." She explained, a soft smile gracing her lips at the memories.

Gray simply stared at her in shocked silence. He wasn't sure what he found harder to believe; that the Iron Dragon Slayer had cared for the bluenette long before they joined Fairy Tail or that the slender water mage beside him could hold her own against the hulking man with nothing but her bare hands. Then again, she'd just held her own against the ice mage himself in a snowball fight, so yeah, maybe the second one wasn't so hard to believe after all.

Still, it never occurred to Gray that she and the other ex-phantom member might be close. Sure, he knew that she was the one to get him to join Fairy Tail, and that they still took missions together, and sometimes they hung out at the guild together, but they never seemed particularly friendly with each other. Then again, Gajeel wasn't friendly with anyone. Although, he was definitely tolerant of Juvia and her eccentricities, certainly more so than Gray himself.

The ice mage shook his head, uncomfortable with where those thoughts were going. Maybe Juvia and Gajeel were closer than he thought, but that was another question for another day. The sun was getting close to the horizon and Gray was starting to feel a bit chilly, so the water mage must be pretty cold herself.

"Come on, it's getting late. We should head to that hotel before you turn into an ice cube." Gray teased, pushing himself up before offering turning to offer the bluenette his hand.

"J-Juvia's fine! Gray-sama your clothes!" She squeaked, her face instantly rivaling the color of a tomato as she finally became aware of his state of undress; and their close proximity. Oh well, he should have known she wouldn't remain oblivious forever.

It was a shame really. He really did cherish these moments with her, when she just relaxed and opened up to him. It was nice, peaceful even, but they never lasted long. Still, it made dealing with her crazy worthwhile.

As Gray picked up his discarded clothes and started to exit the park he turned to make sure his partner was following him. Instead she was still standing in the field, head tilted up to the sky, with her tongue sticking out trying to catch the snowflakes drifting lazily towards the ground.

This spurred a small fit of laughter, startling the girl into looking his way. She blushed at being caught in the childish act.

"Come on, you need to some real food!" He called to her, barely managing to keep his amusement in check. The bluenette sighed before making her way over to him, clearly reluctant to leave.

"Look I'll make you a deal. If we finish this job early we can come back. Sound good?" Truth be told Gray didn't want to leave either, it had been far too long since he'd had a snowball fight that good.

"Really?! Oh, thank you Gray-sama! Juvia will make sure to do her best then!" She beamed at him, attaching herself to his arm.

He was going to tell her to get off but, as he looked around, he realized they were alone. So instead he shrugged and began leading her out of the park arm in arm. After all, indulging her oddities once in a while couldn't hurt right?


	4. I know what you want

**Author's Note:**

Okay so super late entry for day 4 of the Gruvia Fluff Fest, I have no excuses other than I just got stuck at the end with the dialogue and lost inspiration so I took a break and started 4-5 more stories in the process. So I'm very sorry! But hopefully you'll forgive me?

Dedicated to all you wonderful people who have reviewed, favorited and followed. You all have my undying gratitude for your support.

Title: I know what you want

Rating: K

Description: "A medium hot chocolate with whipped cream. Right?" Well that was disappointing. Not just because it totally didn't live up to her fantasy, but also because that wasn't even her usual order.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, or any of the characters in this story. I will not be making any money from this story.

* * *

><p>"I know what you want."<p>

It was a simple sentence with a billion different possible meanings, but coming from the gorgeous man in front of her Juvia couldn't help the way her mind interpreted it. Because he was definitely what she wanted.

Tall, well muscled, wild black hair, dark penetrating eyes, and a smirk that bordered on arrogant all combined to make one perfect man: Gray Fullbuster.

She'd walked into The Daily Grind about a month ago at the request of her boss, who'd called her on the way to work crying about a broken coffee machine, and instantly fallen for the barista who'd served her. She'd returned every day since hoping that he'd notice her, or that maybe she'd work up the courage to do more than make small talk. So yeah, you'll forgive her for believing that the day had finally come, that he was about to leap over that counter, grab her with those well sculpted arms and….

"A medium hot chocolate with whipped cream. Right?" Well that was disappointing. Not just because it totally didn't live up to her fantasy, but also because that wasn't even her usual order.

A derisive snort sounded from her left. Juvia turned to find the other barista, a white haired man named Lyon, grinning smugly at his coworker. It was then that she realized what was happening, as the two often had little competitions to determine who was better at their job.

Juvia shifted her gaze back to the man before her, who was patiently waiting for her response, a confident smile adorning his lips. Now she wasn't really a hot chocolate kind of girl, especially this early in the morning, but she found herself lost in that expectant gaze and just couldn't bring herself to disappoint him.

"You're right! Not that I'd expect anything less from my favorite barista." She giggled, offering him an extra cheery smile.

"Ya hear that Lyon! Not only did I get her order right but I'm also her favorite." Gray boasted with a self satisfied smirk.

"Uh huh. Sure." Lyon replied halfheartedly. He was busy studying the bluenette, and while Juvia couldn't quite name the look on his face she swore it was akin to amusement.

"Well here you go! One hot chocolate with whipped cream for my new favorite customer." The black haired man announced with a wink. Heat flooded Juvia's cheeks and she prayed they weren't as red as they felt.

"Thanks!" She called back with a bit too much enthusiasm. Hastily she snatched the cup from the counter and dashed towards the exit calling out as she left. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

* * *

><p>It was really a bittersweet victory, sure Gray now knew who she was, but it was at the cost of a much needed morning dose of caffeine. Not to mention the fact that Juvia usually found hot chocolate too sweet so she could barely drink half the cup before needing to throw it.<p>

And yes, she had considered telling him the truth, or even just saying that she wanted something different but it was like logic flew right out of her brain the second she laid eyes on him. After a week of trying she was pretty much resigned to the fact that she would just have to drink the hot chocolate until she could get to work, or make her tea at home and hide the travel mug in her purse while in the coffee shop. She'd just have to pray it didn't spill.

Either way, it didn't really matter so long as she got to see him every morning. And she was pretty sure he was kinda flirting with her, and she was definitely kinda flirting back.

So to say that Juvia was disappointed when she walked in on Friday morning only to see Lyon behind the counter, with Gray no where in sight, would be a huge understatement. Letting out a frustrated sigh she trudged up to the counter, eager to get her unwanted hot chocolate and leave.

"Morning Juvia!" Lyon practically sang. He certainly seemed extra cheerful today, probably because Gray wasn't around.

"Morning Lyon, glad to see you're in a good mood." She replied, attempting to hide her disappointment. However something must have tipped him off, because he offered her a sympathetic look.

"I'm always in a good mood when I get to see you." It was shocking how he could deliver such a cliche line with a straight face, and despite how cheesy it was Juvia found herself smiling back at him.

"So, can I make you your usual?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure… sounds good." her response was apathetic at best, but a week of no tea made her sad.

"Okay so one Earl Grey tea with milk and sugar right?" Juvia's head shot up, a look of shock written all over her face. Heat flooded her cheeks. He knew she'd been lying to Gray! She hesitated, debating whether to continue on with the charade and "correct" him, after all he might use this to make fun of Gray. Then again he'd said nothing all week... in the end it her desire for caffeine over.

"Yes please." She sighed, letting her shoulders drop in exhaustion.

"You know, you should probably just tell him you don't like hot chocolate." Lyon suggested, sounding all too amused at her admission. She simply glared at him in response. Really it was none of his business, she just wanted her cup of tea.

"Or you could just continue to spend your money on a drink you don't even like, that seems reasonable." He was still smiling at her with that cheshire cat grin and she felt like there was something he wasn't telling her. Finally he started making her tea. "So, if you don't mind my asking, why don't you tell him?"

Seriously? Why did he care? Juvia could feel her cheeks flush deeper, and realized that denying him a response would probably lead him to draw some all too accurate conclusions.

"Well he just seemed so sure of himself… I didn't have the heart to tell him he was wrong." It was at least partially true. His confidence in the statement had certainly helped to sway her.

"And he's been so happy about it since, always smiling and greeting me. Is it so wrong to want to bring that kind of joy into someone's day? It's just a drink after all. Isn't someone's happiness worth more than that?"

Juvia wanted to shoot herself the minute she realized she'd just voiced her thoughts out loud. It was a bad habit of hers, and often happened at the most inopportune moments. Like right now.

But Lyon's mocking gaze had softened entirely at the unintended confession. In it's place was a gentle, affectionate smile.

"You're too sweet for this world." He often spouted cheesy lines like this one, but for once it didn't seem over the top. Just wistful words, that seemed to fall from his lips in reverence without thought or design. Juvia could feel her cheeks warm at the compliment, and shifted her weight nervously. Finally Lyon handed her the cup of tea.

"He's really not worthy of such kindness." And just like that the moment was shattered. Lyon's cocky grin was back in place and Juvia pursed her lips, frowning in frustration. It was **always** a competition with those two, she needed to remember that, but for a moment he'd been sweet and honest, so she'd let the comment slide.

Turning to leave she gave him one last smile and called back to him. "Have a good weekend Lyon!"

"You too Juvia!"

* * *

><p>Monday morning couldn't have come fast enough for Juvia, and once it had she's raced through her morning routine. After all three days was long time to go without seeing the raven haired man of her dreams; and perhaps she was a little nervous that Lyon had outed her.<p>

It was a silly fear, for all Lyon's teasing he'd always been kind to her and something about that one heartfelt comment had resonated with her. He wouldn't do something at her expense, even if it meant getting a one up on Gray. Still she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

But as she walked through the doors and spied the familiar mop of black hair all negative thoughts fled from her mind. Instead she allowed her excitement to bubble up and burst forth as she reached the counter.

"Good morning Gray!" She greeted.

"Morning Juvia." Gray replied, flashing her a charming smile. "Your regular, right?"

Juvia's heart fluttered, and she momentarily lost track of reality as she stared at the gorgeous man in front of her, before realizing he was waiting for her confirmation.

"Oh, uh, yes please!" She chirped quickly, trying to cover the fact that she had been staring. It should really be illegal from people as beautiful as Gray to work in sales of any sort. She was pretty sure if he asked her to buy every item on the menu with that smile she would just nod and hand him the money.

"You're awfully cheerful for a Monday morning." He noted, a small smile playing on his lips despite his words.

"I'm just glad you're back and feeling better today. I missed you on Friday." She confessed with a light blush on her cheeks. The last sentence was a bit bold but she kept her voice light, hoping her tone would read playful and teasing.

She barely caught the muffled chuckle behind her but when she turned to search for the source she easily spotted Lyon a few feet away fighting to keep the grin from his face. She sent him a quick glare before turning back to Gray, her smile a little more nervous than before. She couldn't help but noticed the amused look in his own eyes and her stomach knotted in response. She felt her earlier concerns flooding the back of her mind.

"Aw, I'm sorry, I was actually here the whole time. I was just in the back helping unload a late shipment." Gray admitted sheepishly. Had Juvia been paying attention she might have noticed the faint blush on his cheeks but she was far too focused on the feeling of her heart seizing and her stomach leaping to her throat.

He had been here the whole time!

Juvia's mind immediately replayed Friday's conversation and suddenly Lyons questions seemed far less innocent. He knew Gray was in the back, he'd just been baiting her! The bluenette's heart raced to a gallop, and the world around her shrank as she tried to contain her panic.

"So random question, your favorite color wouldn't happen to be grey would it?"

"Huh?" Juvia shook her head and tried to focus on the question she'd been asked.

"Your favorite color, is it grey?" He repeated, smirking at her with his eyebrow raised in question.

"Uh, no. My favorite color is blue." She answered, not quite sure where that question had come from. She felt certain she'd missed something, but she had no idea what it was.

"Well then can you answer me one more question?" Gray asked, and Juvia knew by the devilish smile on his face that she ought to say no.

"Sure?" She was going to regret it, but he was looking right at her and how could she say no to him….

Gray finally placed her drink on the counter sliding it towards her, but refused to let go once she'd gone to grab it. She raised a brow at him before looking down to where their fingers had brushed against each other. It was then she noticed a familiar string and grey tag hanging from the side of the cup.

He hadn't made her hot chocolate. He'd made her tea, Earl Gray tea. He'd heard her entire conversation with Lyon on Friday, or may Lyon had just told him… either way he knew she'd lied to him.

"I wanted to know why I'm your favorite barista? It's obviously not my ability to remember your order, and it's not some odd obsession with the word grey… so I'm really curious what your reasoning is." She could feel his eyes boring into her and hear the smile in his voice. He was toying with her, that much was clear and Juvia had no idea how to respond.

Suddenly the bell from the door jingled, signaling another customer had entered the shop. Juvia couldn't have been more relieve, this was her chance to escape! After all, Gray would have to end his conversation with her to go serve them.

"I've got it Gray!" Lyon called from across the store, and Juvia swore she was going to kill the white haired man before the day was done. Hadn't he meddled enough! This was all his fault, to begin with! Ugh, she should have just told him to mind his own business on Friday, heck she should have just demanded the hot chocolate and told him he was wrong. This is what she gets for trusting….

"Seriously though," Gray spoke up, interrupting her mental rant. "you don't strike me as the kind of person to pay three dollars for a cup of tea that you could easily make at home."

His voice had lost it's teasing tone, and Juvia risked a quick glance at him. He was still staring at her intently, but he looked a bit nervous. Maybe it was just concern, she was certain she was redder than a tomato at this point. Still, she'd been coming here for over a month in the hopes that something would happen. Now here she was presented with an opportunity to actually make a move and she was being a complete coward! Well no more.

"Maybe I just enjoy decent company and a good conversation in the morning." Her cheeks were surely scarlet but she held his gaze, and smiled up at him. Then, miraculously, he smiled back at her.

"Good, then hopefully you won't throw this out?" He asked, turning the cup in her hand. Juvia looked down and spotted black numbers written along the side. It took her a moment to realized it was a phone number, then another to realize it must be **HIS** phone number! She could barely contain the squeal of joy that threatened to escape her lips. Taking a deep breath she looked back up at the man who was patiently waiting for her response.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice just yet.

"And maybe you'll give me a call tonight, once you're done work?" He prompted, apparently uncertain how to interpret her nonverbal response.

"Sure! I finish at six." she agreed, realizing that she had to say something.

"Great! I look forward to hearing from you."

He flashed her a half smile as he finally let go of the cup between them, and she returned it with a shy smile of her own.

"Talk to you tonight." She confirmed and turned and headed for the door, a slight bounce in her step.

"Have a great day Juvia!" Lyon called to her from behind the counter. She turned back to see him waving at her, with his usual smug grin plastered on his face. She just sighed and shook her head before smiling back at him.

"Will do!" She called back. She knew she would need to thank him at some point, but just not today. She was still a teensy bit mad at him after all.


End file.
